North Sydney Bears partner with Boston in revamped USARL competition

North Sydney Bears have formed a partnership with Boston 13 RLFC to enter a team under the Bears name in a unified USARL competition and provide player exchange opportunities.

Following the success of the NRL’s inaugural Vegas venture in March, the USARL has finalised a series of transformative changes aimed at bolstering the sport’s growth and ensuring a high standard of competition nationwide.

The 2024 competition, kicking off in June, will involve 18 teams competing in four conferences based in California, Florida, Utah and the North-East, including New York, New England, Washington DC and Delaware.

Boston Bears will play in the North-East division administered by Rugby League United, which has rejoined the USARL in the wake of recent board elections.

The make-up of the four conferences is as follows:

• Florida Rugby League: Atlanta Rhinos, Jacksonville Axemen, South-West Florida Copperheads, Tampa Mayhem.
• Rugby League United (North-East): Boston Bears, Brooklyn Kings, DC Cavalry, Delaware Black Foxes.
• Pacific Coast Rugby League (California): East Palo Alto Razorbacks, Los Angeles Bandidos, Los Angeles Mongrel, Sacramento Immortals, San Deigo Barracudas, Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans.
• Utah Rugby League Association (Utah): Glendale Storm, Herriman Rabbitahz, Provo Broncos, Riverton Seagulls.

The Florida winner will take on the North-East champions for the Eastern Championship title, while the winners of the Pacific Coast and Utah competitions will play off for the Western Championship.

The Eastern and Western Championship winners will then meet in a Super Bowl-type National Championship final.

A similar structure is in place for the USARL women's competition. 

North Sydney Bears CEO Gareth Holmes said Boston would wear red and black jersey and have a new logo after forming a partnership that will include player exchanges between the two clubs and a sharing of coaching resources.

Holmes said the partnership had stemmed from the NRL Vegas 9s tournament, in which Boston played in Norths' iconic red-and-black hooped jerseys, and would focus on the development of players and game structures for the US-based team.

Norths coach Pat Weisner and his staff will work directly with the Boston Bears coaching staff on pre-season conditioning programs, skill development, team and player game structures and more.

There will also be dual player pathway opportunities enabling Norths development players to play and study in the US, while American players could join the Bears development, junior representative and NSW Cup high performance and pathway structures.

“The initial Vegas 9’s tournament-based alignment is now progressing on to a more formal “brother club” partnership with the Boston 13s, in which we have opened up coach development and a player pathway between the two clubs,” Holmes said.

Holmes said the partnership would also open the North Sydney Bears to a new market of Bears members and the club will introduce a membership offering to attract new fans in the United States.

A range of Boston Bears merchandise will be released before the USARL season kicks off on June 15.

“The Boston Bears board and players are excited for this opportunity to partner with such a long standing and professional Australian rugby league club in the Bears,” Boston Bears chairman and COO, Nicholas Lucido, said.

“The opportunities this partnership presents our club, and our players is immense, and we are proud to now be Bears for the 2024 season and beyond.”